Dr. Dave Lütkenhaus is a Global R&D, Sustainability, and Innovation Executive offering 17+ years of broad international experience combining managerial/leadership skills with a solid technical background in consumer goods, packaging, bio-based materials, PCR, chemicals, ESG, plastics, recycling, green sciences, and sustainability.
Dr. Lütkenhaus is currently is the Global Sustainability & Innovation Director at Diageo, leading the sustainable innovation strategy for the company. Prior to that, he headed sustainability teams at L'Oréal as International Research & Innovation Director with a broad scope encompassing all the Emerging Markets (LATAM, Africa, Southeast Asia).
Previously, he led the Sustainability strategy for the Packaging and Specialty plastics business at the Dow Chemical Company, including the innovation pipeline and the definition of the sustainability framework and new business models.
He has also worked for P&G and FIAT leading sustainable innovation projects for the EMEA region and acquiring a unique background across different levels of the value chain globally.
Dr. Lütkenhaus holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Birmingham, UK; a double Master's degree in Materials Sciences from the Technical University of Munich and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany; an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of São Paulo, and a Master's degree in Materials and Polymer Sciences from the University of Turin, Italy. He is also a six-sigma black belt leader.
